Nagpur: Energy minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Friday that the state would get 57,000 new
solar farm pumps in the coming months. At present 7,500 such pumps have been installed in the state.
Addressing a press conference, the minister said, “We got 7,000 solar pumps from the Union government under Atal Saur Krishi Yojana on Thursday. In the coming days, the state government will purchase another 50,000 pumps. Our aim is to provide solar pumps to all 45 lakh farmers.”
Bawankule admitted that the target of installing 10,000 solar pumps had not been met by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL). “Many farmers still want conventional pumps. This is a problem. However, we compulsorily install solar pumps at places where the cost of new connection is more than Rs 2.5 lakh,” he said.
Turning to the tariff order issued by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), the minister said, “It is a good thing that the commission has rejected MSEDCL’s plea to levy surcharge on solar rooftop prosumers. It has also rejected gross metering and the proposal to limit solar capacity to 40% of consumption.”
When asked why he did not stop MSEDCL from raising these demands, Bawankule said, “I do not interfere in tariff petitions of MSEDCL, Mahagenco and Mahatransco. The officials draft it as they consider best.”
On thermal power plants using raw water, the minister said that Mahagenco had been asked to use treated sewage in all its plants. “We have asked National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and private power plants to do the same in two years,” he added.
Commenting on MSEDCL’s power tariff for 2018-19, he said it had not increased by more than 5% to 6%. “This is in the range of inflation and so consumers won’t feel a pinch. The commission has also slashed the revenue requirement of Mahagenco and Mahatransco,” he further said.
